Within a showcase on the upper level of the Melbourne Cricket Ground rests a electric pink ensemble performed in by Robbie Williams. The performance in front of a massive crowd of fans was hailed as a major hit.
Perhaps you don't appreciate Robbie Williams. You might think he is the greatest gift to music the world has ever seen. You might take a balanced view, conceding that some tracks are excellent while others are poor.
The key argument is that amusement can take many forms. Preferences differ. There is no one way to produce art or even the longest format.
The Unrivalled Depth of Test Cricket
Test cricket boasts peerless complexity. It's difficult to think of another sport where the playing is so reliant upon external factors.
The weather, the session, the ball – the list is endless. Crucially is the wicket.
If the long game is a form of art, the wicket is the blank slate on which the players paint their masterpiece.
A Broken-Down Battle: The Melbourne Spectacle
The recent Melbourne match between the two sides was Test cricket cubism, the traditional sport dismantled and reconstructed in an unusual manner.
This is not a endorsement of the surface which resulted in a victory and the second two-day Test of the Ashes battle.
Having a thick layer on the surface, resulting in numerous dismissals falling in less than two days, is not an even battle between offense and defense.
A Varied History: The Nature of Test Cricket
But any idea this was a lesser event, one that should be footnoted as inauthentic, is wide of the mark.
The long game is a rich tapestry, over two thousand matches and still growing. On occasion, like in Melbourne, the cricket ball behaves unpredictably for the fast men. In contrast, it spins sharply on a dry surface. At other venues, the pitch is unresponsive, other times it spits like a cobra.
The thrillers are even more exciting due to the patience devoted in other matches.
Problem Solving: The True Test
Certain variables are tolerated more readily than others.
The debate in Melbourne was that the equilibrium was tipped too far towards the attack. That the best players were unable from demonstrating their skill.
Test cricket is about problem solving – assessing the situation and adjusting effectively. The top two individual scores were made by world-class players. One team was less disciplined than the other, and thus ended up second best.
Unbridled Joy: For Those Who Waited
Attempt to convince the supporters who have suffered 18 winless matches that this wasn't compelling.
In one section of the ground, countless fans celebrated and chanted, fostering a carnival vibe in a stronghold of sport.
There was belief as the attack dominated, advantage when batters scored quickly, and pure joy when the victory was confirmed.
Contrasting Examples: The Range of Test Matches
The venue has form with pitch problems. Eight years ago, a Test there featured a pitch with all the life of a pulled Christmas cracker.
That fixture was a grind, with minimal action and interminable tedium. The latest encounter and that previous match are polar opposites of the spectrum – neither ideal, yet significance can be attached to them.
Deep into the series into the current series, it is the quick finishes that will be most remembered in the history books.
"Far from being the end of Test cricket at all," observed a past champion. "Fans who have been lucky enough to see these two days have been given some genuine drama. A unique show."
Baby Steps: Building for the Future
In the lead-in to this Test, the captain addressed the media like a man carrying the enormous pressure on his back.
The players protected him, reinstating the smile to his face.
Emerging talents performed with crucial roles. These are small positives, not nearly enough to guarantee long-term stability, but something to use as a platform.
Ultimately, this MCG win takes its place among other notable performances in similar circumstances.
As the fans slipped away into a stunning sunset, the team assembled on the outfield to start their own enjoyment.
Enjoy the drink, lads. You've earned this one.
